Tissue shaver and methods of use

Abstract

A tissue shaver and methods of use is disclosed. The tissue shaver operates to remove tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tissue shaver comprising:
 an outer housing including a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis disposed therebetween; 
 a cutting burr including a longitudinal shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, and the cutting burr on the distal end of the longitudinal shaft, the longitudinal shaft operably coupled with a plunger including a distal end and a proximal end, and the longitudinal shaft and plunger coaxially disposed within the outer housing, and the cutting burr rotates relative to the outer housing to provide a cutting action; 
 a first geared wheel operably coupled with the proximal end of the longitudinal shaft; 
 a second geared wheel rotatably coupled with the distal end of the plunger; and the second geared wheel rotatably coupled with the first geared wheel; 
 a spring fixedly coupled with the distal end of the plunger as to proximally bias the plunger when the plunger is translated distally; and 
 a handle operably coupled with the proximal end of the plunger, wherein the plunger is translated distally to along the longitudinal axis of the outer housing as to rotate the second geared wheel and rotate the cutting burr about the longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
       2. The tissue shaver of  claim 1 , further comprising a gap between a distal end of the cutting burr and the distal end of the outer housing; and the distal translation of the plunger also distally translates the longitudinal shaft and the cutting burr to close the gap between a distal end of the cutting burr and the distal end of the outer housing such that the cutting burr is flush with the distal end of the outer housing. 
     
     
       3. The tissue shaver of  claim 2  wherein the outer housing includes a lumen and a plurality of bearings disposed within the lumen and operably coupled with the longitudinal shaft as to allow the rotation of the cutting burr and the shaft to occur without wobbling. 
     
     
       4. The tissue shaver of  claim 3 , wherein the second geared wheel includes a plurality of geared teeth around the circumference of the second geared wheel and the second geared wheel includes a crown gear on the top surface of the second geared wheel; the plunger includes a plurality of geared teeth located on a surface of the plunger that mesh with the plurality of geared teeth around the circumference of the second geared wheel; and the first geared wheel includes a plurality of geared teeth that accurately meshes with the crown gear on the top surface of the second geared wheel; wherein longitudinal translation of the plunger rotates the second geared wheel, and rotation of the second geared wheel rotates the first geared wheel, and the rotation of the first geared wheel rotates the longitudinal shaft and the cutting burr; and the proximal translation of the plunger causes further rotation of the second geared wheel, first geared wheel, shaft, and the cutting burr. 
     
     
       5. The tissue shaver of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of bearings are selected from the group consisting of a plain bearing, a rolling element bearing, a jewel bearing, a fluid bearing, a magnetic bearing, and a flexure bearing. 
     
     
       6. The tissue shaver of  claim 5 , wherein the cutting burr includes an open mesh design, a shaft opening, and a central opening allowing the accumulation of the cut tissue or disc material to pass into the shaft opening. 
     
     
       7. The tissue shaver of  claim 6 , wherein the cutting burr and the longitudinal shaft translate beyond the distal end of the housing such as to leave a gap between the cutting burr and the distal end of the housing, wherein the gap collects cut tissue material into the lumen of the housing by the longitudinal translation of the plunger creating a suction force through the gap; and a one way valve located within the lumen to not allow air to be pushed distally from the one way valve. 
     
     
       8. The tissue shaver of  claim 6 , wherein the longitudinal translation of the plunger creates a suction force through the shaft opening when the cutting burr is flush with the distal end of the outer housing and when the longitudinal translation of the plunger create the suction force through the shaft opening by the proximal translation of the plunger, as to suck up cut tissue material into the lumen of the outer housing; and a one way valve located within the lumen to not allow air to be pushed distally from the one way valve. 
     
     
       9. The tissue shaver of  claim 8 , wherein the cutting burr rotate at thousands or tens of thousands of Rotations Per Minute (RPM). 
     
     
       10. The tissue shaver of  claim 9 , wherein the second geared wheel is a pinion and the geared teeth of the plunger are a rack as to act as a rack and pinion geared system, whereby the linear motion of the plunger converts linear motion into rotational motion. 
     
     
       11. The tissue shaver of  claim 9 , wherein the second geared wheel is a spiral bevel gear and the first geared wheel is a spiral bevel gear as to act as a hypoid gear. 
     
     
       12. The tissue shaver of  claim 9 , wherein the plunger is a worm and the second geared wheel is a worm gear to act as a worm drive. 
     
     
       13. The tissue shaver of  claim 9 , wherein the cutting burr includes a cutting surfaces selected from the group consisting of may include: Clog-Resistant Double Cut, Clog-Resistant Single Cut, Diamond Cut, Double Cut, Fine Single Cut, and Single Cut. 
     
     
       14. The tissue shaver of  claim 9 , wherein the cutting burr includes a shape selected from the group consisting of the following shapes: a 14 Degree Taper shape, a 60 Degree Cone, a 90 Degree Cone shape, a Ball-shape, a Cone-shape, a Cup-shape, a Cylindrical-shape, Flame-shape, Inverted Cone-shape, Oval-shape, Pear-shape, a W-shape, a Thin Disc-shape, and a tree-shape. 
     
     
       15. A method of shaving tissue using the tissue shaver of  claim 1 , comprising:
 introducing the outer housing a small incision in the back and into a herniated disc such that its distal end of the outer housing is placed adjacent the distal-most region of the target tissue; 
 translating the plunger distally by a force from a user as to rotate the cutting burr about a rotational axis; 
 biasing the plunger proximally by the spring to cause further rotation of the cutting burr, which causes the cutting burr to rotate in the opposite direction and tissue is removed by the rotating cutting burr by both the distal and proximal translation of the plunger; and 
 suctioned the removed tissue from the herniated disc by way of the open mesh design of the cutting burr and the suction or vacuum action created by the plunger. 
 
     
     
       16. A tissue shaver comprising:
 an outer housing including a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis disposed therebetween; 
 a cutting burr including a longitudinal shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, and the cutting burr on the distal end of the longitudinal shaft, the longitudinal shaft operably coupled with a plunger including a distal end and a proximal end, and the longitudinal shaft and plunger coaxially disposed within the outer housing, and the cutting burr rotates relative to the outer housing to provide a cutting action; 
 a first geared wheel rotatably coupled with the proximal end of the longitudinal shaft; 
 a spring fixedly coupled with the distal end of the plunger as to proximally bias the plunger when the plunger is translated distally; and 
 a handle operably coupled with the proximal end of the plunger, wherein the plunger is translated distally to along the longitudinal axis of the outer housing as to rotate the first geared wheel and rotate the cutting burr about the longitudinal axis.